Commentary

Legislative Column for the Week of April 13, 2026 This week, the Missouri Senate continued its work on both legislation and the state budget as we move deeper into the final stretch of session. One of the most significant developments came Wednesday, when the Senate Appropriations Committee voted to pass House Bills 2002 through 2013,…

Dear Friend, On the evening of January 29, 2025, a UH-60 Army Black Hawk helicopter tragically collided with American Airlines Flight 5342 over the Potomac River in Washington, DC. The collision took the lives of 67 people. After the accident, I committed to first gathering all the facts and then deciding how to address the…

Dear Friend, Tax Day is approaching fast. It’s certainly not a day anyone looks forward to. Still, thanks to the Working Families Tax Cuts that we passed last year, many folks are seeing more money in their pockets. The average tax refund this year is up 11 percent. With the No Tax on Tips and…

Legislative Column for the Week of April 6, 2026 This week, the Missouri Senate returned to work following the Easter holiday and continued moving forward on both legislation and the state budget. With the Missouri House of Representatives having already passed its version of the fiscal year 2027 budget, the Senate will begin its detailed…

This week, the Senate Appropriations Committee continued our in-depth review of the state budget received from the Missouri House of Representatives. Working alongside appropriations staff, we are carefully going through the budget line by line. As chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I remain committed and focused on the needs of Missourians. Committee and floor…

Dear Friend, When I first ran for State Representative back in 1992, my aspiration was to represent my hometown of Tarkio, Missouri. I was a 27-year-old farmer who just wanted to stand up for a way of life and his community. I never could have imagined where that decision would take me. For eight years…

Legislative Column for the Week of March 23, 2026 This week, the Missouri Senate returned from spring break and quickly got back to work. Floor activity was especially busy, with the Senate passing more than a dozen bills as lawmakers continue advancing legislation in the second half of session. On the committee side, I had…

Dear Friend, On June 20, 2024, an illegal alien from India driving an 18-wheeler caused a multi-car pileup after driving at an unsafe speed and failing to stop for traffic in a construction zone. His reckless driving, combined with California’s irresponsible decision to issue him a commercial driver’s license (CDL), forever changed the life of…

Legislative Column for the Week of March 9, 2026 This week, the Missouri Senate continued committee and budget work as we move closer to the final stretch of the legislative session. Two of my bills in the Missouri Senate Local Government, Elections and Pensions Committee were voted do pass this week, and I look forward…

Dear Friend, On Thursday, a terrorist, who immigrated from Sierra Leone and had previously been jailed for conspiring with ISIS, walked into an ROTC classroom at Old Dominion University and shot the professor, who was a decorated war veteran. ROTC students in the class quickly engaged, ending the attack and the attacker’s life before anyone…